-Creighton head coach Greg McDermott is 80-29 in three seasons at Creighton, 229-160 in 12 Division I campaigns, and 360-224 in 19 seasons overall as a head coach. He is 2-4 in the NCAA Tournament at the Division I level (2-1 at Creighton), and also made the Sweet 16 in 2000 at Wayne (Neb.) State.

-Creighton has never faced Duke. Greg McDermott is 0-3 all-time vs. current members of the ACC, and 0-1 all-time vs. Duke, falling 86-65 in Chicago on Jan. 6, 2010 while the head coach at Iowa State.

-Creighton and Duke share no common opponents this season.

-There's only a few connections between Creighton and Duke.

-Doug McDermott and Ryan Kelly were roommates this summer during the Amare Stoudemire Big Man Camp in Chicago.

-Doug McDermott and Mason Plumlee were teammates at the LeBron James Skills Academy In Las Vegas last summer.

-Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski was recruited by former Creighton coach Red McManus and nearly chose to attend Creighton in the 1960's, but instead elected to go to Army. A story, written in 2003 In the Omaha World-Herald, on that can be found at http://tinyurl.com/coachKcreighton.

-Creighton has won three straight road games at Illinois State (including a 79-72 win this year), which plays on Doug Collins Court. Doug Collins (In addition to being 76ers coach) is the father of Duke assistant coach Chris Collins.

-Creighton is 18-118 all-time vs. top-25 teams in the Associated Press poll heading into Sunday's game vs. No. 6 Duke. Creighton's last victory over a ranked team came on March 4, 2007 vs. No. 11 Southern Illinois. Creighton has not beaten a top-10 team since defeating No. 6 Marquette on Feb. 9, 1974, and has lost 21 straight since then to fall to 5-53 all-time vs. top-10 foes.

Creighton is 1-5 all-time vs. ranked teams while ranked itself. The lone win came on March 16, 1974, when it defeated No. 16 Louisville.

Greg McDermott's last win over a top-10 team came on March 6, 2010, when his Iowa State team won at No. 6 Kansas State. That victory was McDermott's last on the Cyclone sideline.

-What a two weeks it's been for Creighton. On March 10th, Creighton won its 12th MVC Tournament title in school history. On March 13th, a Jesuit Pope was named for the first time. On March 18th, the Creighton women's basketball team earned the MVC's first at-large berth since 2002 (CU plays vs. Syracuse in Knoxville on Saturday morning). On March 20th, Creighton joined the Big East Conference (effective July 1, 2013). On March 22nd, Creighton men's basketball defeated Cincinnati.

Keep in mind that Sunday's match-up vs. Duke will be played on Palm Sunday, and feature Creighton playing a team known as the (Blue) Devils.

-Thanks to Friday’s win vs. Cincinnati, the Creighton men’s basketball team has now won a postseason game in a school-record six straight seasons. The previous mark was three in a row from 1962-64.

The following five programs are the only ones that have won a postseason game in six straight seasons, including 2012-13: Creighton, Kansas, North Carolina, Purdue and Syracuse.

-Only two leagues had multiple teams reach the NCAA Tournament and were still undefeated after Friday's second round. The Atlantic-10 sent five teams and were 6-0 (La Salle won twice, while Butler, Saint Louis, Temple and VCU all won once), while the Missouri Valley Conference was 2-0 (Creighton and Wichita State)

-Creighton’s win on Friday, combined with a second-round win last season vs. Alabama, gives Creighton wins in consecutive NCAA Tournaments for the first time in program history.

-Creighton is making its 18th NCAA Tournament appearance, and ninth in the last 15 years. The Bluejays are 11-18 all-time in NCAA action, including Friday’s win.

In 25 previous NCAA or NIT appearances, Creighton has never won consecutive games in the same event.

The last time Creighton was one of the final 16 teams remaining in the NCAA Tournament came in 1974. The Jays beat Texas in the first round of the 25-team tournament before falling to Kansas in the round-of-16.

-Last year Creighton won a closely contested second-round NCAA Tournament game (58-57 vs. Alabama) before falling to ACC power North Carolina in the third round. This year’s team won a closely contested second-round NCAA Tournament game (67-63 vs. Cincinnati) and plays fellow ACC behemoth Duke in the third round.

-Creighton is a No. 7 seed for the first time in history. It’s Creighton’s second-best seed ever, trailing only the No. 6 seed in 2002-03. Since the NCAA began seeding all the teams in 1979, MVC teams are now 5-3 as the seventh seed, including a 4-0 mark in their first game. The MVC’s last No. 7 seed, Wichita State, reached the Sweet 16.

Nineteen different teams seeded No.7 have made the Sweet 16 since 1985, most recently Florida (who played its first two games in Omaha) last season. Since 1985 (when the tourney went to 64 teams), No. 7 seeds are 17-48 against No. 2 seeds.

Nationally, teams seeded No. 7 have combined for three or more wins in each of the last three years (including 2013). This year’s No. 7 seeds got opening-round wins by Creighton, Illinois, and San Diego State.

Creighton’s NCAA Tourney Seeds

(since seeding began in 1979)

Year Seed Record

2013 7th 1-0 so far

2012 8th 1-1

2007 10th 0-1

2005 10th 0-1

2003 6th 0-1

2002 12th 1-1

2001 10th 0-1

2000 10th 0-1

1999 10th 1-1

1991 11th 1-1

1989 14th 0-1

1981 8th 0-1

From 7 Seed To Sweet 16, Since 1985

Year Team NCAA Record

2012 Florida 3-1

2008 West Virginia 2-1

2007 UNLV 2-1

2006 Georgetown 2-1

2006 Wichita State 2-1

2005 West Virginia 3-1

2004 Xavier 3-1

2003 Michigan State 3-1

2001 Penn State 2-1

2000 Tulsa 3-1

1993 Western Kentucky 2-1

1993 Temple 3-1

1992 Georgia Tech 2-1

1990 Virginia 2-1

1990 Alabama 2-1

1988 Vanderbilt 2-1

1986 Navy 2-1

1986 Iowa State 2-1

1985 Alabama 2-1

-Eleven of Creighton’s last 12 postseason runs (including this year) have included a game that was decided in the final seconds.

In fact, Creighton’s postseason openers in the past 11 years have had four games decided by one point (including a double-OT finish), two by two points, one by four points, two by six points (including an OT finish) and three games by 11 points.

On Friday, Cincinnati missed a game-tying three-pointer in the final 20 seconds and Creighton guard Austin Chatman made 3-of-4 free throws down the stretch to hold on to a 67-63 win.

Last season Creighton edged Alabama in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, 58-57, as Trevor Releford’s game-winning three-pointer came up short.

Creighton’s 2011-12 campaign ended in heartbreaking fashion in the CBI title game at Oregon. Creighton had the ball in a tie game with the shot clock off, but committed a backcourt violation on Oregon’s “unique” floor. The Ducks’ E.J. Singler then banked in a game-winning shot with 2.0 seconds left. A desperation three-pointer by Creighton was off the mark.

In 2009, Creighton rallied from a 14-point deficit and would hang on to beat Bowling Green, 73-71 in the first round of the NIT. The Jays needed a last-second defensive stand, as BGSU’s Darryl Clements’ game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer was off the mark.

The following game, Creighton led Kentucky by one with 36 seconds left, only to miss two free throws and see UK All-American Jodie Meeks convert a three-point play. CU’s Booker Woodfox, the nation’s No. 2 three-point shooter, missed an open trey as time expired, and Creighton lost 65-63.

In 2008, Creighton rallied from a 12-point deficit in the final 3:07 to top Rhode Island, 73-72, in the first round of the NIT. Cavel Witter hit the game-winner with 3.2 seconds left to give CU its first lead of the game since 3-0.

In 2007, Creighton had the ball for a final shot in a tie game against Nevada in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Nate Funk’s shot attempt missed, and a tip-in try was also not converted. The Jays would eventually lose 77-71 in overtime.

In second round of the 2006 NIT, Miami (Fla.) guard Guilermo Diaz drained a free throw with 2.6 seconds left to beat Creighton 53-52. A last-second shot attempt by Bluejay senior Johnny Mathies was knocked out of his hands.

In the 2005 NCAA Tourney, Nate Funk had his three-point try with seven seconds left blocked by Tyrone Sally, and Sally raced downcourt for a breakaway dunk with 2.4 seconds left to give West Virginia a 63-61 win. Funk’s three-point try from the corner missed at the buzzer.

In 2004, Creighton fell 71-70 to Nebraska in the NIT. The Jays led nearly the entire second half before NU’s go-ahead basket with 12 seconds left. Nate Funk’s game-winning jumper from 18-feet away was blocked by Husker guard Jake Muhleisen.

In 2003 Creighton lost 79-73 to Central Michigan in the NCAA’s. The Jays trailed 50-24 with 16:24 left but a furious rally got them within two points (72-70) with 1:20 left, only to turn it over the next three possessions.

In the 2002 NCAA’s, Creighton beat #15 Florida, 83-82, in Chicago. Terrell Taylor hit a game-winning trey with 0.2 seconds left in double-overtime, his final three of 28 points after a scoreless first half.

-Since 1994, the MVC is 24-36 (pending Wichita State’s game on Saturday vs. Gonzaga) in the NCAA Tournament with eight Sweet 16 trips to its credit. The last Valley team to reach the second weekend was UNI in 2010, which came thanks to a stunning win over top-seeded Kansas.

MVC in the NCAA’s, Since 1994

(Sweet 16 trips in bold)

Year Teams NCAA Record

1994 Southern Illinois, Tulsa 2-2

1995 Southern Illinois, Tulsa 2-2

1996 Bradley, Tulsa 0-2

1997 Illinois State 0-1

1998 Illinois State 1-1

1999 Creighton, Evansville, Missouri State 3-3

2000 Creighton, Indiana State 0-2

2001 Creighton, Indiana State 1-2

2002 Creighton, Southern Illinois 3-2

2003 Creighton, Southern Illinois 0-2

2004 Southern Illinois, UNI 0-2

2005 Creighton, UNI, Southern Illinois 1-3

2006 Bradley, UNI, So. Illinois, Wichita State 4-4

2007 Creighton, Southern Illinois 2-2

2008 Drake 0-1

2009 UNI 0-1

2010 UNI 2-1

2011 Indiana State 0-1

2012 Creighton, Wichita State 1-2

2013 Creighton, Wichita State 2-0

Totals (since 1994) 24-36

-Creighton has won its last six games, getting 27.0 points and 8.0 rebounds per game from Doug McDermott in that time. CU is also 5-0 in March, the program’s first five-game win streak in March since 1920.

-Jahenns Manigat tied a career-high with seven assists on Friday vs. Cincinnati, matching his total from a CBI contest vs. Oregon as a freshman in 2010-11. Creighton improved to 27-3 all-time when he owns three or more assists.

-Doug McDermott broke his own Creighton’s single-season points record with 27 points on Friday. He now owns 813 points this season, 12 more than the 801 when he set the record a year ago.

-Doug McDermott’s 813 points are the most by any player in the country this season, 13 more than Virginia Tech’s Erick Green. No other postseason player in the country on a team who is still active owns more than 710 points.

-With three points on Sunday, Doug McDermott can join Oscar Robertson and Larry Bird as the third junior in MVC history to score 816 points or more in a season.

-Doug McDermott owns 807 career field goals, four shy of tying the Creighton career mark held by Chad Gallagher (1987-91).

-With 27 points on Friday, Doug McDermott became the nation’s first player since Stephen Curry and Lester Hudson in 2008 & 2009 to score 800 or more points in consecutive seasons.

-Doug McDermott owns 63 points in three career NCAA Tournament games. The only Creighton players with more NCAA Tourney points are Paul Silas (105 in 6 games), Kyle Korver (71/5) and Doug Brookins (70/4). McDermott’s career NCAA Tourney scoring average of 21.0 ppg. is on pace to surpass Gene Harmon’s Creighton record career tourney scoring average of 20.0 ppg. Harmon (in 1974) is the only player in CU history with multiple games of 20 points or more in the same tournament. In three career NCAA Tournament games, Doug McDermott averages 21.0 points and 10.0 rebounds per game.

-Doug McDermott led the nation last year with 307 field goals made, and his 280 buckets this year are once again leading the country.

Of McDermott’s 307 hoops last year, he made 56 baskets with his left hand and used the glass for 174 of his scores.

Though he’s playing away from the basket even more this season, his numbers remain impressive, as he’s used this left hand on 24 field goals and banked in a shot 124 times (NOTE…those numbers do not include Friday vs. Cincinnati)

McDermott’s 280 field goals this season lead the country, even though he’s 16th nationally with 502 field goal attempts.

No player has led the country in field goals made in back-to-back seasons since at least 1995-96.

-Friday’s win meant Creighton improved to 9-1 in the past two seasons vs. teams from BCS conferences with wins this year over Cincinnati (Big East), Wisconsin & Nebraska (Big Ten) and Arizona State and Cal (Pacific-12). Last year Creighton defeated Alabama (SEC) as well as Big 10 foes Nebraska, Northwestern and Iowa, losing only to North Carolina (ACC) in the NCAA Tournament.

In those nine games, All-American Doug McDermott has averaged 25.5 points and 8.6 rebounds, well above his career averages (20.1 ppg., 7.7 rpg.), as seen below:

-Creighton junior Doug McDermott leads the MVC (and nation) with 813 points this season after owning a league-high 801 a year ago. He is the MVC’s first player with consecutive seasons of 800 points or more since Larry Bird.

-Doug McDermott went 11-for-11 at the free throw line on Friday vs. Cincinnati. He’s the first Creighton player since Kyle Korver in 2001 to be perfect in 11 or more free throw attempts in one game. The single-game record for FT makes without a miss is 16 by Doug Brookins in 1974.

-Creighton owns a 5-3 record this season against top-50 RPI teams, including double-figure wins over Wisconsin, Akron and Wichita State. Doug McDermott has averaged 26.3 points in those contests, scoring 21 or more points in all but one game, while shooting 57.1 percent from three-point range (24-42).

-Below is a list compiled by ESPN.com of most career points scored by a guy playing for his father in NCAA history:

Name, School Points Father

Pete Maravich,LSU 3,667 Press

Allan Houston, Tennessee 2,801 Wade

Tony Bennett, UWGB 2,285 Tony

Doug McDermott, Creighton 2,195 Greg

Bryce Drew, Valparaiso 2,142 Homer

-Doug McDermott has scored 21 or more points in 25 of the season’s 35 games, becoming Creighton’s all-time career scoring leader in the process, with 2,195 career points to also rank eighth in MVC history.

All-Time MVC Scoring Leaders

Rk. Name, School Points

1. Hersey Hawkins, Bradley 3,008

5. Mitchell Anderson, Bradley 2,341

6. Steve Harris, Tulsa 2,272

7. Colt Ryan, Evansville* 2,203 (plays Sat. in CIT)

8. Doug McDermott, Creighton* 2,195

9. Cleo Littleton, Wichita State 2,164

10. Xavier McDaniel, Wichita State 2,152

*active

-Doug McDermott enters Sunday's game with 813 points this season, and 2,195 In his career. Should he score 813 points during his senior (2013-14) season, that would give him 3,008 career points. The current MVC record (which is out of play with Creighton's impending move to the Big East) for career points is 3,008 career points by Hersey Hawkins, McDermott would need "just" 719 points next season to move Into the top-10 scorers In NCAA history. Among the names on that list are Pete Maravich (No. 1 at 3,667), Lionel Simmons (No. 3 at 3,217), Hersey Hawkins (No. 7 at 3,008), Oscar Robertson (No. 8 at 2,973) and Danny Manning (No. 9 at 2,951.

-Below is a list of the most prolific scorers in MVC history. Doug McDermott compares with even the greatest names on those lists:

-Ethan Wragge owns 78 three-pointers while Doug McDermott has 76. Both men are juniors. The only juniors with more three-pointers in Creighton history have been Tad Ackerman (82 in 1994-95) and Kyle Korver (79 in 2001-02).

-Grant Gibbs had four assists on Friday, moving him into second in Creighton single-season history with 206 helpers this season. His 206 assists have been surpassed just once in the MVC in the last 15 seasons, as Drake’s AdamEmmenecker had 213 assists in 2007-08. The Creighton single-season mark is 252 by Ralph Bobik in 1973-74.

-Gregory Echenique is shooting 66.0 percent from the field this season. The Creighton (and MVC) single-season record is 67.4 percent by Creighton’s Vernon Moore in 1984-85.

-Gregory Echenique is three points shy of 1,000 at Creighton, and 15 rebounds shy of 1,000 in his career (including Rutgers).

-Gregory Echenique’s block on Friday was his 60th this season. Benoit Benjamin (three times) and Chad Gallagher (twice) are the only other Bluejays in history with 60 swats in one campaign.

-With a win on Sunday, Creighton would improve to 29-7 on the season, and win its seventh straight game. Creighton’s 29 wins would tie for the most in program history, matching the mark set by the 2002-03 and 2011-12 squads. Creighton head coach Greg McDermott would improve to 3-4 in the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament (3-1 at Creighton). Greg McDermott would tie the school record for NCAA Tournament wins with Red McManus (1962, 1964) at three. Creighton would own 99 wins in the past four years, tying the program record first done from 1999-2003. Creighton would improve to 10-1 against teams from BCS Conferences in the past two years (6-0 this year).

-Creighton owns 57 wins in the last two seasons, 80 wins in the past three seasons and 98 wins during the last four years. All three totals are among the best stretches in school history, as seen below

Most Wins, 2-Year Stretch

W-L Years

57 2011-Present

52 2010-12

52 2001-03

Most Wins, 3-Year Stretch

W-L Years

80 2010-Present

76 2000-03

Most Wins, 4-Year Stretch

W-L Years

99 1999-03

98 2009-Present

97 2008-12

-Creighton owns eight league tournament titles in the last 15 years. On a national basis, the only schools that can claim this are Gonzaga (11), Duke (10), Winthrop (9) and Creighton (8).

Creighton’s 12 all-time Valley Tournament titles are more than twice as many as the next closest school, Southern Illinois (5).

-Last season Creighton had one of the nation’s most effective and most efficient offenses. With all but one regular from that squad back, we thought we’d take a second to compare the 2011-12 and 2012-13 teams:

Stat 2011-12 2012-13

Record 29-6 28-7

FG Made 975 926

FG% .504 .506

3FG Made 287 305

3FG% .424 .422

FT Made 535 473

FT% .726 .756

Rebound Margin +5.5 +4.8

Assists 616 600

Turnovers 421 433

Scoring Average 79.2 75.1

Scoring Defense 69.7 63.1

Scoring Margin +9.5 +12.1

-According to research from STATS Inc., only two men since 1996-97 have compiled at least 2,100 points, 810 rebounds and 150 three-pointers in their career. That list consists of Creighton junior Doug McDermott and former Duke national champion Kyle Singler.

Name, School PTS REB 3FG

Kyle Singler, Duke 2,392 1,015 267

Doug McDermott, Creighton 2,195 835 177

-Doug McDermott is at 2,195 points in 109 games. He reached the 2,000 point milestone in fewer career games (101) than any Oscar Robertson Trophy or John R. Wooden Award winner in the last 20 years except one (Tyler Hansbrough, 99 games).

-Doug McDermott is Creighton’s only player averaging in double-figures, but he’s had lots of support to help lead the Jays to 28 wins already.

Creighton is 15-2 when Gregory Echenique (9.7 ppg.) scores in double-figures this year.

Creighton is 11-0 when Ethan Wragge (7.8 ppg.) scores in double-figures this year. CU is 29-1 under Greg McDermott and 15-0 this year when Wragge shoots 50 percent from three-point range.

Creighton is 8-1 when Austin Chatman (7.4 ppg.) scores in double-figures this year.

Creighton is 6-2 when Jahenns Manigat (6.0 ppg.) scores in double-figures this year. CU is now 19-1 all-time when Manigat makes three or more 3-pointers, including 17 straight wins, and the Jays are 22-2 (with 20 straight wins) when Manigat shoots better than 50 percent from 3-point range.

Creighton’s won its last 26 games when Will Artino (64.6 percent) has missed a field goal attempt, and is 31-1 all-time when it happens.

-Greg McDermott will enter Sunday’s game with 80 wins in his first three seasons at Creighton. According to research by MVC Associate Commissioner Mike Kern, McDermott’s 80 wins are third-most by a Valley coach in his first three years at a school. Ed Jucker and Denny Crum both won national titles and are MVC Hall of Famers, while Crum is also in the Naismith and NABC Hall of Fame.

Most Wins, 1st Three Years at an MVC School

W-L Name, School Years

91-19 Forddy Anderson, Bradley 1948-51

82-7 Ed Jucker, Cincinnati 1960-63

80-29 Greg McDermott, Creighton 2010-Pres.

78-26 Chris Lowery, Southern Illinois 2004-07

71-31 Tim Jankovich, Illinois State 2007-10

70-19 Denny Crum, Louisville 1971-74

20-Win Seasons

Creighton has earned its 25th 20-win season in program history. Creighton’s 28 wins are third-most in program history, and the third time in the past five seasons its reached 25 wins or more.

Previous 20-Win Seasons, Sorted By Wins

W-L Season Postseason?

29-5 2002-03 NCAA (0-1)

29-6 2011-12 NCAA (1-1)

28-7 2012-13 NCAA (1-0 so far)

27-8 2008-09 NIT (1-1)

-You can make a case that Creighton has boasted the nation’s best offensive production so far this year.

Through games of March 22nd, Creighton was second in the country in field goal percentage (50.6), first in three-point percentage (42.2), second in two-point field goal percentage (56.4), and sixth in three-pointers per game (8.7).

According to data from bbstate.com, no team since at least 2005-06 has shot better than 58.7 from two-point range.

Last season Creighton ranked third nationally in three-point percentage, making 42.4 percent from downtown.

The only team to ever lead the nation in both 3-pointers per game and 3-point percentage was Princeton in 1987-88.

The only team to ever lead the nation in both field goal percentage and three-point percentage was Northern Arizona 1998-99.

-Because he’s split his college career between Rutgers and Creighton, you might not realize the rather impressive college stats being generated by Gregory Echenique.

Echenique owns 1,355 points, 985 rebounds and 266 blocked shots in 139 games as a collegian. He and Bucknell’s Mike Muscala are the nation’s only active players with 1,300 points, 950 rebounds and 250 or more blocked shots.

Had all those stats been generated at Creighton, Echenique would rank 17th in career points, fourth in career rebounds and second in career blocked shots at CU.

-Creighton is 6-0 this season on neutral floors, with wins over Wisconsin, Arizona State, Drake, Indiana State, Wichita State and Cincinnati. The six neutral wins are a school-record for one campaign.